Falklands task force chief Sandy Woodward dies aged 81

Admiral Sandy Woodward, who commanded the naval task force to recapture the Falkland Islands in 1982, has died aged 81.

During the operation, he was forced to take some of the toughest decisions made by a senior British officer in the past 50 years.

It was almost mission impossible. He had to ensure that a force of some 10,000 troops could be carried more than 8,000 miles in 11 weeks to expel the occupying Argentine forces. He did so at the cost of 255 British lives, more than 750 Argentines and six ships. Admiral Woodward knew that the troops would have to land on the islands with almost no air cover — a risk no commander would be prepared to take today, as then defence secretary Sir John Nott admitted on last year’s 30th anniversary of the conflict.

The Argentine air force greatly outnumbered the 20 or so British Harriers, but the Argentine planes were operating at the limits of their range.

His two pocket aircraft carriers HMS Invincible and Hermes, from where Admiral Woodward led his command, were vulnerable to the Argentine navy’s three German submarines and his job was made more difficult because British submarines and the SAS were commanded directly from Northwood and London.

He was a determined, and sometimes dour character, and was sensitive to criticism of his command. But his training and determination gave him the drive to muddle through what was perhaps the last naval war to defend the British Empire.

There was something of an “old salt” about Sandy Woodward. “He could be a prickly character at times,” said Major General Julian Thompson, the then Royal Marine commander. “But he really did deliver.”